THE Government has announced £2.4 million for Craven to try to revitalise the district in the wake of the foot and mouth epidemic - but Skipton won't get a penny.

The European funding was announced this week by the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber and is part of a £10 million package for North Yorkshire to "help local communities put the crisis behind them".

However, it goes into areas covered by European Objective 2 - which includes almost all of Craven with the exception of Skipton.

But Caroline Taukulis, the senior economic development officer for Craven District Council, said that the money would be go on district-wide initiatives and while nothing could be spent specifically on Skipton, the town was bound to feel the benefits as the 'Gateway to the Dales'.

She said some of the money, which will be paid out over a seven year period, was earmarked for specific projects, such as to develop a cycleway from Silsden to the outskirts of Skipton and for speculative office development on land designated for employment.

The communities of Settle, Ingleton, Grassington and Cross Hills would also have local initiatives funded. Already a different project has promised £340,000 of European money for Bentham.

Miss Taukulis said: "This is an opportunity to create wealth and prosperity through economic regeneration and improvement of the quality of life of all local residents in the key market towns of Craven and their rural hinterlands.

"Obviously this year's priority will be given to foot and mouth recovery measures which will include Dales-wide tourism promotion and other district initiatives."

Yorkshire Forward is currently looking to see how it can help towns like Skipton which have been left out of other European funded programmes.

Felicity Everiss, director of the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "Local people and businesses have worked hard to develop integrated strategies, taking full account of the impact of foot and mouth disease. I am certain that the specific proposals that will emerge over the next weeks will give rise to innovative ways to help our hard hit communities."